Ignition buzzer switch subassembly



P 1970 E. B. MITCHELL ET AL 3,531,611

IGNITION BUZZER SWITCH SUBASSEMBLY Filed. Jan. 29, 1969 [*1 ll IL. ll ll FIG. 5

' INVENTORS F '6. 2 EDWARD B. MITCHELL ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,531,611 IGNITION BUZZER SWITCH SUBASSEMBLY Edward B. Mitchell, Belmont, and Collier D. Simmons, Sharon, Mass., assignors to United-Carr Incorporated, Boston, Mass., a corporation of Delaware Filed Jan. 29, 1969, Ser. No. 794,967 Int. Cl. H01h 9/02 US. Cl. 200-166 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention is directed at the combination of a switch subassembly housing-and contact in which the housing has a pair of ramp portions with lower angular surfaces in abutting parallel relationship to a bar portion of a T- shaped extension of the contact to assure that the lower portion of the contact is held rigidly in engagement with the housing when the rest of the contact is placed within the housing.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION There are a number of different Ways to assemble a flexible or fixed contact with a plastic housing. Riveting or screwing the contact to the housing are among the methods used in many early switches. In some later cases the contact was made in a U-shaped configuration so that the contact would flexibly hold itself against two opposed surfaces of the housing. In one recent embodiment fixed terminals were engaged in slots formed in the housing through a snap engagement between a lug formed from a wall of the slot and a groove formed in the terminal.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a twopiece ignition buzzer switch subassembly wherein cooperative engagement between a housing and a contact will hold one end of the contact in fixed engagement with the housing.

A further object of the present engagement is to provide a two-piece ignition buzzer switch subassembly wherein a canted extension of a contact is held in abutting relation with a pair of angled spaced ramp portions of a housing and other portions of the contact opposite the extension engaged against the wall of the housing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a top plan of the ignition buzzer switch subassembly housing;

FIG. 2 is a section taken on line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1 with the contact in place;

FIG. 4 is an end elevation of the assembly shown in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a section taken on line 55 of FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT As shown in the drawings, the lower portion of the plastic housing is generally rectangular in shape and includes a base portion having integral end walls 12 extending upwardly therefrom in opposed relationship to each other and a pair of side walls 14, 16 which extend along the sides of the base portion 10 and connect the end walls 12 to form a boxlike configuration. A slot 18 is formed through the base portion 10 adjacent an end wall 12 and also through a part of the side walls 14, 16. The side wall 14 has a rectangular opening 20 formed therethrough in close proximity to the slot 18 as shown in FIG. 1. A ramp portion 22 extends outwardly from the side wall 14 on each side of the opening as shown in FIG.

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1. Each of the ramp portions 22 includes a lower angular surface 24 which is of greater length than the upper angular surface 26. The upper angular surface 26 is connected to the side wall 14 by an upper surface 28 which is in spaced parallel relationship with the plane of the base portion 10. Triangular recesses 30 are formed on the inner surface of each of the ramp portions 22 with their apexes directed toward the plane of the base portion 10. An engagement slot 32 is formed through a portion of a base portion 10 and the side wall 16 on the opposite side of the housing from the opening 20 and spaced from the slot 18.

The flexible, movable contact 34 is formed of a flat piece of conductive material, such as brass, and comprises a first terminal portion having an arm 36 extending from each side in the same plane and having a side portion 38 extending from a first side thereof spaced from the arm 36 and having a rectangular bar portion 40 attached to the terminal end thereof defining a T-shaped configuration as shown in FIG. 3. The bar portion 40 is in angular relationship to the plane of the side portion 38 as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. A secondary extension 42 extends from the second side edge of the contact 34 in spaced relation to the arm and having a distance therebetween equal to the length of the bar portion 40. The other end of the contact 34 is connected to the first terminal portion by an integral connector portion 43 which terminates in an upward bend that merges into an arced contact pad 44. An integral tongue of less width than the contact pad 44 extends downwardly from an edge thereof toward the plane of the arms 36. The connector portion 43 of the contact 34 slopes upwardly from the secondary extension 42 as shown in FIG. 4. The downward extending tongue at the end of the contact pad 44 has a terminal end 46 which is bent outwardly to act as a guide portion.

The movable contact 34 is engaged to the housing by placing the bottom edges of the bar portion 40 against the lower angular surface 24 of the ramp portions 22. The remaining portion of the contact 34 is pushed into the cavity formed between the side walls 14, 16 toward the base portion 10. As the contact 34 passes between the side walls 14, 16 the bar portion 40 rotates until its upper surface bears against the lower angular surface 24 in parallel relationship therewith as shown in FIG. 5. The T-shaped configuration of the contact 34 is placed in superposed abutting relationship with the base portion 10 and the terminal ends of the arms 36 and at this time extend into the rectangular opening 20 at its juncture with the side walls 14, 16. Simultaneously with this engagement the secondary extension 42 is engaged within the engagement slot 32. The connector portion 43 angles upwardly from the base portion 10 allowing the contact pad 44 to move toward and away from the base portion 10 by flexing the connector portion 43. The terminal end 46 moves within a rectangular cavity 48 having an upper surface 50 which acts as a stop for the terminal end 46.

The engagement slot 32 and the slot 18 may be left out and the terminal ends of the arms 36 and the secondary extension 42 would provide an interference fit against the side walls 14, 16.

We claim:

1. A switch subassembly comprising a switch subassembly housing and a movable contact, the housing comprising a base portion, a first side wall extending from one side of the base portion and a second side wall extending from an opposite side of the base portion, the first and second side walls being in spaced parallel relationship and the first side wall having an opening formed therethrough, a ramp portion extending outwardly adjacent each side of the opening and the movable contact comprising a first terminal portion, an integral connector portion connecting the first terminal portion to a contact pad and a side portion extending from a side edge of the first terminal portion, the side portion having a bar portion integral with the side portion and forming a T-shaped configuration therewith, the bar portion being angled upwardly in relation to the plane of the side portion and having an upper surface butted against the ramp portion and the first terminal portion being in superimposed abutting relationship with the base portion of the housing.

2. A switch subassembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein the first terminal portion of the movable contact has an arm extending from a side edge opposite to that from which the side portion extends and on the same plane as the first terminal portion and has a free end engaged against the second side wall of the housing.

3. The switch subassembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein a secondary extension is integral with and extends from the same side edge as that from which the arm extends and is in spaced parallel relationship with the arm, the secondary extension having a free end engaged against the second side wall of the housing.

4. A switch subassembly as set forth in claim 3 wherein the movable contact is arced and is integral with the connector portion which extends from the first terminal portion and is in angular relationship therewith.

5. A switch subassembly as set forth in claim 4 wherein the contact pad has a forward edge from which a tongue extends downwardly toward the extended plane of the first terminal portion, the tongue having its terminal end bent at an angle providing a stop portion, the first and second side Walls of the housing being connected by an end wall, the end wall having a recess formed therein, the recess having an edge, the stop portion adapted to butt the edge of the recess and to be moved away from the edge of the recess.

6. A switch subassembly as set forth in claim 5 wherein each ramp portion has an upper surface and a lower surface in angular relation to each other defining an angle therebetween and the bar portion butted against the lower angular surface.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,890,436 6/1959 Bentley. 3,076,874 2/1963 Aquillon. 3,221,115 11/1965 Feher. 3,297,849 1/1967 Ra'pata. 3,327,085 6/1967 Noonan.

HERMAN O. JONES, Primary Examiner 

